Indonesian aid for needy Sri Lankan families

On August 17, 2022, the Indonesian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Dewi Gustina Tobing, handed over a donation package worth LKR 2.5 million to the Sri Lanka in need after the flag-hoisting ceremony commemorating the 77th Indonesian Independence Day, which took place in the Indonesian Embassy courtyard in Colombo.

The event, which took place at 9.20 am, was attended by the Indonesian Community reside in Sri Lanka, representatives of the Sri Lanka Indonesia Friendship Association (SLIFA), Sri Lanka Malay Association (SLMA), religious representatives and other guests. In addition, other Indonesians in Sri Lanka and the Maldives who could not attend in person were also joined through online.The flag-hoisting ceremony was led by Major Achmad Febryanto, an Indonesian military officer currently studying at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Sri Lanka, while the flag-raising personnel are Dita Setiawan, Nisa Nurfitriani and Zakat Siregar.

After the flag-hoisting ceremony, Ambassador Dewi Gustina Tobing, in her remarks thanked the Indonesian people in Sri Lanka that attended the ceremony. Ambassador Dewi also expressed high appreciation to representatives of the Sri Lankan community that attend the event. “August 2022 is a special month for Indonesia considering that there are two important events, namely the 77th Anniversary of Independence Day of Indonesia and the 70th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Indonesia and Sri Lanka,” said Ambassador Dewi.

“Today, we handed over a donation package, consisting of various types of food, as a form of solidarity and friendship,” said Ambassador Dewi. The fund of the donation was collected from the Indonesian community in Sri Lanka and the Maldives as well as from the Indonesian community in Western Australia, of where the Ambassador was posted earlier.

Ambassador Dewi Tobing symbolically handed over the donation to the representatives of religions organization in Sri Lanka, i.e. to the Venerable Watinapaha, the Director of Education of State Ministry of Dhamma Schools, Parivenas and Bhikku Education; Ramachandra Kurukkal Babu Sharma, the Secretary of International Hindu Religious Federation; Reverend Father Anura Perera, Director of Department of Social Responsibility Methodist Church; and to the Muslim community represented by Rilwan Careem the General Secretary of Malay Association.

Ambassador Dewi further said that in the context of 70 years of diplomatic relations Indonesia-Sri Lanka and the 30th Anniversary of SLIFA, the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo and SLIFA is organizing a charitable bazaar in October 2022 in helping Sri Lankan in need. “In April 2022, Indonesia has provided humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in the form of medicines and medical equipment worth US$ $ 1.6 million”, said Ambassador Dewi.

The flag-hoisting ceremony, complemented by the cutting of Nasi Tumpeng (the cone-shaped rice dish), as the Indonesian traditional symbolizing of gratitude. Ambassador and the Indonesian community also song Indonesian patriotic songs to show respect and dedication to their beloved country.